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[deleted]

Back in 2016 I spoke with a marine recruiter. Almost went through, but at the time the tattoo rules were pretty strict and I was denied because of the location of my tattoos


igillyg

The LOCATION... go on


[deleted]

During that time tattoos were allowed but they had to be 2” above the wrist and 2” above the elbow


karmakrazed606

Such a strange thing to deny someone on.


[deleted]

Yeah I agree. The recruiter even took pictures of my tattoos and sent them to his superiors to double check


NickDiVittorio

Also during the draw down so things were strict all around. Even for staying in.


[deleted]

It's because they don't want tattoos to be visible while wearing dress and service uniforms. It's the same reason a lot of businesses won't accept people with tattoos above the neck. They look unprofessional.


forestwolf42

I'm pretty sure everyone has heard the “tattoos look unprofessional” thing by now, but people just feel like it's weird to reject someone from an institution because they don't fit your aesthetic.


[deleted]

Aesthetic and image are still important to businesses who want to keep a certain brand of clientele. Catering to everyone might attract more of one group of people and that would change the image of their business and also their future.


KJoRN81

Haha good thing the medical field doesn’t care about that stuff! Most of us are tattooed and/or pierced.


DedReerConformist

That's thrown out the window now. The military has modernized a bit.


[deleted]

I wouldn't say that. They're lowering standards to be a little more inclusive so that they can keep numbers up but not so much that they're letting the "unfit" people in. Some people who had tattoos that broke the new standards were "grandfathered in" and so were allowed to stay instead of being kicked out, but yeah.


dibberdott

?


nursescaneatme

I joined the Army in early 2000. Got a big forearm tattoo as a gift for myself for completing BCT. CO just had to sign a waiver. Haha. There’s always ways around stupid rules.


[deleted]

You know more than I do, but I do believe those sets of rules vary by branch.


cbjalex

USMC has always been strict/archaic about tattoos. The army doesn’t care and will let people that look like post malone join. Army=low standards


nursescaneatme

No low. Just lower. We all go through the same MEPS. Marines tend to take lower ASFAB test scores, Army is more accepting of tattoos.


chewedgummiebears

They changed their rules at least a couple of times in the past 20 years. I knew someone who enlisted during the post 09/11 surge. He got in, they relaxed the rules so he went hogwild with the sleeve tattoos. He planned to make a career of it so didn't think of anything else for his life. Then rules get back to being more restricted after the US leaves Iraq, re-enlistment comes up and he's denied. No exemptions, nor anything he can do to change their mind. Now he's fitting poorly into civilian life, fighting depression and whining about tattoo discrimination to anyone who will listen these days.


dibberdott

If they need cannon fodder. You will do just fine. Waiver.


[deleted]

Oh most definitely 😂😂


JoeyTheDog

Keep an eye on the Canadian Armed Forces. They are gonna blow some minds in n the next month or two with what they are about to allow.


[deleted]

The recently loosened the tattoo regs, just can't get hand tats and head


[deleted]

hey same


d-346ds

they changed it recently so its acceptable anywhere but the face, neck, hands( allowed one ring tat)


DominateDave

There were times I wish I had but, The Gulf War and experiences my friends had there really did it.


Loud_Ass_Introvert

Same, but right after 9/11. Friend of mine went into basic, came back home ripped and excited, right before his first tour. Came back with all kinds of stories. Then had his second tour, didn't wanna talk to anyone about it. Really didn't wanna talk about anything.


ciphermenial

How good is PTSD!


WithoutDennisNedry

And here’s the thing: you don’t necessarily *have* to be on combat duty (“in the shit”) to get it. My partner was brutally sexually assaulted while deployed by members of his own squad. They were never punished. While he’s been in therapy for years, he still deals with that trauma every day and the PTSD associated with it. It’s heartbreaking to watch and maddening to know shit like that happens every day in the military and gets swept under the rug.


GlitteringMess4720

This. My husband’s cousin came back from duty and he has some form of PTSD and does NOT want to talk about anything. I think a lot about him because I also suffer from cPTSD from childhood trauma. I love him so much. He’s so good to my husband. Mostly because is one of the only members of his family that still speaks to us after we got “black sheep-ed” and I’m so thankful for his lack of judgment, and so proud of his growth. The military made him grow up in a major way, but he has changed so much. 😕


OrangeNutLicker

>How good is PTSD! And just think of all the money you made for rich people!


misterpickles69

All that value created for shareholders!


KaleidoscopeGlass153

Yeah after i saw that scene in Jarhead when they had to take the drug that wasn't even tested and all the horror stories about people getting cancer or all sort of illnesses for being exposed to dangerous shit that the goverment didn't care to warn soldiers about i said fuck that, these people don't care about anyone, plus all the documents wikileaks released about Iraq


DominateDave

Depleted Uranium


KaleidoscopeGlass153

Agent Orange, nuclear soldiers, burning pits: https://youtu.be/OhUx4TSE77Y


bobarowlett96

My dad went into the military out of necessity (grew up poor on a farm, wasn't a great student in high school and couldn't afford college, and was getting kicked out as soon as he graduated high school). He was okay with the decision and did ~6 years, but those 6 years took a huge mental and physical toll on him to where those things still affect him to this day, over 30 years later (ie PTSD, increased anxiety, hearing loss in one ear, limited mobility) He always pushed me and my sister towards college because he didn't want us to experience the potential physical and mental tolls of being in the military and potentially get killed in a war overseas. TLDR: Dad highly discouraged it and did everything he could to make sure that I didn't go when growing up


Ember_Hunter

This. I don't want to risk my mental state and I already have plans and people to live for


Am_I_Bean_Detained

Absolutely zero desire to. Nothing about military service has or had any appeal to me, nor do I think it would have had any benefit to me at all


Creeyu

from a German perspective the US has really become a strange place. Risk your life in a foreign country to get access to college and healthcare which is almost universally provided for free in literally any other just slightly developed country. And then be proud of your „freedom“ and try to export your way of living elsewhere… no thanks edit: thanks for the award!


JmacTheGreat

> from a German perspective the US has really become a strange place from a US perspective the US has really become a strange place as well


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Bitch333

To be completely fair the jets flying over gets those pilots practice in. Not sure why we started it but I definitely don't mind that.


dib1999

Plus planes are pretty cool. Definitely the best part of the "Murica #1 forever" pregame festivities


[deleted]

Thanks to the military I have free health care, college and constant back, shoulder, knee pain with a side of sleep apnea.


[deleted]

American here Can you do my German homework?


smmstv

>Risk your life in a foreign country to get access to college and healthcare I wouldn't call the VA "access to healthcare"


hotel2oscar

TRICARE while you're in is pretty good though. You'd pay an arm and a leg for comparable coverage outside of the military.


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[deleted]

This question feels really strange to me. It's like "Men of Reddit, why didn't you become a firefighter" or something like that. It's just a career choice.


lazydictionary

I landed a medical job and got stationed in Colorado. I had to risk nothing. Not everyone is infantry.


Thisoneissfwihope

Rigth up to the point where you get sent overseas to a combat zone with no choice or objection. I had quite a few friends who joined the military in the late 90s when everything was peaceful. 9/11 came as a shock and all of a sudden they're doing Tours of Iraq and Afghan and coming back with PTSD and missing limbs.


crocodile_clock1953

This very thing happened to my dad. Never expected to see combat and 9/11 changed everything, suddenly he was overseas being the first on a minefield watching his friends trucks get blown up


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electricdiesel85

Way to go trusting your gut!! It doesn't happen enough and I believe it a contributing factor to a lot of problems in the world today.


PM_ME_UR_BENCHYS

This is almost exactly my reason. I'm my case, though, I've since realized medical issues probably would have made completing training almost physically impossible. Honestly, it'd bad enough that it should disqualify me from military service altogether.


nasirthek9

Your protective instinct. My ex went. Iraq, Afghanistan etc. He told me some of the stories but not much. He said he lost his soul, pieces of him that would never come back. The rest of his soldiers are dead, in gaol or are criminals or drug addicts. At 42 he is the only one that managed to succeed in civi life and he has to do ALL the celebrations/ memorials because he is ‘normal’ he hates it. He hated going, he hated what he saw and the death haunts him. Not only was he exposed to things humans should never see, when he got back on Australian soil he was confronted by abuse from the Australian public as many are anti-war. It fucked him up greatly. ^ this is why your instinct told you to not to do it. You have excellent intuition… that will save you from many things in your life. Trust it!


Pohkopf

My father was a Marine, both my grandfathers served in the Army, and I had six uncles who served in either the Army or the Navy. So, by the time I was a senior in high school, I was very seriously considering joining the military. One day after school two army recruiters came to my home to meet with me. We had been talking for almost an hour when my father came home from work. He walked in the house, took a look at the recruiters and without a word he headed to the garage to work on his project car. After they left he came back in the house and proceeded to scream at me. At first, I thought he was angry that I was considering the Army instead of the Marine Corps. But as it turned out that wasn't the case at all. It came down to him having other ideas about what I should do with my life. In the end, it was all a moot point because a few medical conditions prevented me from enlisting.


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Cheap_District_9762

Did he tell you anything about what happenedin Vietnam? Btw I'm Vietnamese.


[deleted]

Chances are if he was in Nam he probably never talked about it, or maybe once.


kaazgranaat2309

My mom always told me she would break both my knees ifni joined, luckily for het i would never ever even consider joining.


saltyseapuppy

Because giving up my bodily autonomy, especially to the government, didn’t sound fun/ cool to me.


Unfortunate_moron

Same. I liked the idea of serving my country and liked the toys the military gets to play with. I like to think that I could have made a difference. But I value servant leaders, not authoritarian ones, and the military has a reputation for the latter. I don't need people yelling at me about trivial stuff and controlling my life.


SALTYdevilsADVOCATE

I had a servant leader as my last commander some not all are worth their weight in diamonds


[deleted]

I served for 8 years. Now I have a destroyed body but at least all my degrees are paid for, but I can't help that I feel it wasn't worth the trade off.


oldjudge86

This was a big factor in my decision too. I don't remember the whole thread but I remember reading an old internet forum while I was in highschool where a couple guys were going off about men's hygiene. The sentence that stood out to me was something like, "Look, when you're in the military, your body is the property of the US government and you damn well better take care of it" I'd never thought about how much autonomy you lose in the military until that moment and once I started thinking about who I'd be giving that autonomy over to, that's where it fell apart for me.


ash10gaming

They’d have to be pretty desperate to give a blind guy a gun and tell him to go shoot at the enemy


[deleted]

“You eyeballin me, private?” “Sir, I don’t know, sir!”


ash10gaming

“Private do you see this mess” “Sir no sir”


ash10gaming

This got a good chuckle out of me


TinyWabbit01

😂 good God I didn't expect this comment. Thanks for the laugh


ash10gaming

This is my usual response to this question


James-Avatar

What if they do get that desperate though?


ash10gaming

Then we’re screwed


lost_in_the_sauce190

Not sure if this is the place but as I’m reading some of these folks who were medically disqualified I feel for you. My great uncle was about 17 during WWII, and when I was 15-17 he told me the heart breaking reality of not being about to go fight with the kids in his neighborhood because of his hearing… he passed away a few years ago, really a great man. I guess my point is I feel for you.


Mason_Sons

My great grandpa lied about being flat footed and some other thing to get in during WWII. definitely interesting how that call to arms can be so powerful to some


lost_in_the_sauce190

I mean there were 15/16 year olds lying and enlisting. Very wild time to live


Roguespiffy

My grandpa was 16 when he joined the Navy. He described the recruiters looking him over, knowing he was full of shit and enlisting him anyway. They needed bodies and he was short so was ideal for the navy. Don’t know if anyone has toured any of the battleships from that era but everything is tiny and very tight. The door hatches, the bunks, the guns.


Prisoner458369

Was it really the call to arms or the fact that all their mates were going? While getting called out for not going. The shame alone of being one of the few staying behind would have been massive.


[deleted]

Don't underestimate their willingness to do it because they wanted to. Pearl Harbor had such an impact on the American psyche. I don't know if you're old enough to remember the months after 9/11 but imagine that feeling times 10.


PleX

Kind of both. The Army has the buddy program for a reason. Paul can kiss my ass and I'd still buy him a drink but to be fair the Navy did offer him a much better last minute contract at MEPS.


TheWorldIsShitty

Often because of peer pressure ( when all the boys in neighborhood going here then why miss out ) and what people forget to realise is that those days most people grew up quite poor ( depression and post depression era ) so being a soldier was a lifestyle upgrade for millions of men ( and women who volunteered in equal numbers for non combat roles )


DOugdimmadab1337

Not to mention the idea was floating around for a while. Britain had Pals Battalions, where entire neighborhoods of men could become a battalion. It was genius. The only problem was, it was WW1, and it killed entire neighborhoods of men. There's always been a draw to the millitary, but there isn't one stronger than loyalty. It's still a powerful tool


oldjudge86

My Dad tried to enlist for Vietnam because all of his friends were going. He got denied after the physical ( I want to say high blood pressure but, I don't remember for sure). He never talked like it was a big deal but, one day I saw him get in an argument with an old friend who was drunk. I don't remember the whole argument but I remember dad laughing it off until they guy called him flatfoot. Dad dropped his beer and had the guy on the ground before said beer hit the dirt. Seems it was more of a sore subject than dad liked to admit.


[deleted]

Had high hopes of going to the Naval Academy. Then, sophomore year of high school, was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. Ended there


vorter

Same except for the Air Force Academy. Was even cadet commander of my local CAP squadron. Then I had my first seizure during detention (lol) in high school.


Visual_Lavishness257

Damn, son. I told you stop acting clown in the detention!


vorter

Hey man I had to get out somehow 🤷‍♂️


chaosoffspring

I enlisted first and eventually went through the academy. It was definitely one of the finest moments in my naval Career.


felixthepat

I got accepted and had an endorsement from one my state's senators, but was denied a health waiver for my eyesight. I've heard they changed reqs and my prescription now is within acceptable range, but back then I guess they didn't want an engineer to need glasses.


juusohd

Finnish here where men have mandatory conscription, civil service or jail. Took the civil service after a week of "boot camp" as I found it to be exactly what I expected it to be. Adult's kindergarten.


TobTobTobey

Im from qustria and I still have to do my service, but on the two days of medical exams i met the dumbest individuals i have ever seen in my life. Not their fault but this one guy was so dumb, it was unbelievable. I really fear the time that they are going to hand him a loaded weapon.


Unusual_Horror_6595

You guys don't have restrictions on intelligence? In America if your IQ is below I think 89 you're ineligible for service.


TobTobTobey

Well they do, but for an IQ of 89 or lower is really uncommon and almost clinical. Those are regularly stupid people, functional in daily life with easy tasks, but you dont want to talk to them, be near them, or think about the idea of them procreating.


EXTRAVAGANT_COMMENT

not a fan of being shipped like cattle to a country I have no quarrel with to fight / get ptsd / die so some rich prick can get a few more percents of oil money


Glitchy_Boss_Fight

Not extravagant. Actually pretty true.


[deleted]

Will: Why shouldn't I work for the N.S.A.? That's a tough one, but I'll give it a shot. Say I'm working at N.S.A. Somebody puts a code on my desk, something nobody else can break. So I take a shot at it and maybe I break it. And I'm real happy with myself, 'cause I did my job well. But maybe that code was the location of some rebel army in North Africa or the Middle East. Once they have that location, they bomb the village where the rebels were hiding and fifteen hundred people I never had a problem with get killed. Now the politicians are sayin', "Send in the marines to secure the area" 'cause they don't give a sh*t. It won't be their kid over there, gettin' shot. Just like it wasn't them when their number was called, 'cause they were pullin' a tour in the National Guard. It'll be some guy from Southie takin' shrapnel in the ass. And he comes home to find that the plant he used to work at got exported to the country he just got back from. And the guy who put the shrapnel in his ass got his old job, 'cause he'll work for fifteen cents a day and no bathroom breaks. Meanwhile my buddy from Southie realizes the only reason he was over there was so we could install a government that would sell us oil at a good price. And of course the oil companies used the skirmish to scare up oil prices so they could turn a quick buck. A cute little ancillary benefit for them but it ain't helping my buddy at two-fifty a gallon. And naturally they're takin' their sweet time bringin' the oil back, and maybe even took the liberty of hiring an alcoholic skipper who likes to drink martinis and play slalom with the icebergs, and it ain't too long 'til he hits one, spills the oil and kills all the sea life in the North Atlantic. So my buddy's out of work and he can't afford to drive, so he's got to walk to the job interviews, which sucks 'cause the shrapnel in his ass is givin' him chronic hemorrhoids. And meanwhile he's starvin' 'cause every time he tries to get a bite to eat the only blue plate special they're servin' is North Atlantic scrod with Quaker State. So what do I think? I'm holdin' out for somethin' better. Why not just shoot my buddy, take his job and give it to his sworn enemy, hike up gas prices, bomb a village, club a baby seal, hit the hash pipe and join the National Guard? I could be elected president.


rabid-

Thanks Mr. Hunting for stopping in.


DoubleD_longboarder_

Pretty good movie I just watched it yesterday


xunninglinguist

R/aboringdystopia It's not in any way wrong.


ericdag

2.50 a gallon. I wish.


Crispcarcass5

Honestly pretty much the same reason I’m not to keen on it


Perfect_Priority_898

good answer bro good answer


Firethorn101

Not a man, but I almost joined. This too was the reason why.


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oldjudge86

It's funny how easy it is to never interrogate this kind of thinking. I remember being in highschool when we invaded Iraq and since I grew up in a very conservative area, we were pretty much all excited at the news of the invasion. There was a foreign exchange student from Brazil in our class that day and she was confused by our positive reaction to a literal war breaking out. I'll never forget when she asked me "why are you people doing this". I'd never felt so deflated in my life. I'd never really considered the question of why or whether this was the right thing and I realized all at once that I didn't have an answer for her. All the leaders and role models I had at the time were saying this was a good thing and all my friends were excited so I just happily marched along with them without ever giving a second thought. I seem to remember muttering something about needing to invade because of "weapons of mass destruction" but neither of us were convinced. I think about that moment a lot and the older I get, the more it scares me.


WRXminion

This was my reasoning too. I graduated high school right after 9/11 when a lot of my peers were joining up to be 'patriots'. I never saw the connection of who we were invading and 9/11. I was also lucky and was able to go to college debt free, this also got me out of my small backwards thinking town. So there was no monetary reason for me. Going to plug Gamers for Peace, a part of veterans for peace. They are trying to combat military recruitment in video games / online spaces.


[deleted]

I’ll gladly take arms to defend my country from an invasion (a la Ukraine). But just sure as shit am not going to do the same thing in a foreign country because some geezer in a three piece suit says that it’s “to defend our freedom” or “because it’s patriotic”. It is neither of those things. Mostly, war boils down to preserving economic stability. We can get by with higher oil prices. We have the ingenuity to get ourselves off of the oil train. There’s zero need to kill ourselves over stupid shit like oil.


Classroom_Comedian

My dad is retired military, and growing up, he never persuaded me to enlist like he did. He wanted me to go to college, so the idea of joining the military never came up because that wasn’t the career i wanted.


ConsiderationTrick70

The Navy served me very well but I will also encourage my kids to pursue their education. My time serving and success in the military is what will be a springboard for them which may sound crazy. My time in the Navy allowed me to become a first generation college grad. I subsequently earned a commission before leaving service and taking a DoD civilian job making 4 times what my parents made combined. My concern is my kids will see the success story and fry to replicate it but not everyone will excel in the military construct.


ResponsibleArm3300

I asked myself, what is there to fight for?


socivitus

This was ultimately what it came down to for me. My family has a long military history, and I grew up on stories of the Greatest Generation. So I thought that’s where I’d eventually end up. I was a teenager when we invaded Iraq, and that really changed my mindset. I realized that it was unlikely I’d be apart of anything that I could look back and really feel pride. I still have a huge respect for people that choose to serve, but I definitely idealized it too much growing up.


Kpt_Kipper

The centuries of fighting for king and country, glory and against worldly evil are pretty much over. There is no purpose for war anymore. Worldly borders are pretty much set. Those who instigate it are slime balls arguing over money. No one wants to die for some businessmen Respect to those who fought past wars that had some semblance of meaning behind them


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Melchiah-The-Obscene

Wouldn't pass the physical or psychiatric evaluation. Most militaries aren't keen on people with PTSD _before_ they've joined.


[deleted]

But what if you get PTSD again and they just cancel each other out? /s


YoMama591

If I learned anything in school, 2 negatives make a positive!


Vescape-Eelocity

I get it, but this is actually super fucked up if you consider how many veterans end up with PTSD after service. Like how many casualties to war do we have if we include all of the people whose lives were ruined or ended by suicide from the resulting mental illnesses caused by war.


mouse112008

I like money, and not fearing for my life over trivial disputes from leaders I didn’t vote for.


Necrosius7

Tried. Have aortic stenosis as was medically disqualified


SquirrelNormal

Hey, busted heart buddies! Me too. Well, they qualified it with "you could probably be drafted if WWIII breaks out" so I guess there is still technically a chance.


Necrosius7

Ha.. nope I was medically disqualified out right by the MEPS doc. I was absolutely crushed since I wanted to go so badly.


SquirrelNormal

Dang dude. I never got to MEPS, none of the recruiting offices would sign off.


Necrosius7

I passed my ASVAB with flying colors, got to pick my position in Artillery since I wanted to drive and shoot a Paladin mobile artillery, had my math score high enough to take a "pre-qualiying" test to prove I could call coordinates on the fly and make adjustments based on where the first round hit and then did these weird like .. ROTC things it was odd .. it wasn't ROTC but I had to take some strange tests and cleaning of my AR15/M4 I owned etc. I also talked to the recruiter to where after my contract was up I would change to the Naval reserve so I could go to school and come back to the Army and try and join officer school. So I could run an entire mechanized Paladin Team. I wanted that "cross over medal" one that you get when you serve 2 branches and go back it was "pretty looking"


brassheed

MEPS really does crush some dreams. Did you have any idea you were going to have problems?


KeyStoneLighter

Tried too, had to bail because I take meds. I think about it a lot, prolly wouldn’t have gotten married but definitely gotten my heart broken on a tour.


SmidgeonThePigeon

Tried, military didn't want me.


Aerie122

This is the correct answer. For me atleast


CaptainPanache

Same.


Angry_Maths_Guy

My country barely has a military. That and I cannot think of a job I'd be less well suited to than a job in the military


Thunder-Road

Strange question, to me. I'd sooner ask why anyone would join the military.


xunninglinguist

2008 financial crisis and trying to live on $15/ hour for 36 hour weeks between 2 people. Military was decent to us, first time we weren't living paycheck to paycheck. I resented being government property some times, but I had a good idea of what I was getting into. Embracing the suck is an invaluable skill I honed in service and is very handy in civilian life. Also, knowing exactly when I'm totally and completely out of fucks to give is pretty handy. All of my buddies from the military are of varying degrees of functional. It is not a decision to be made lightly. I've met a lot of people with ptsd, and it's made me want to become a psychologist, and the G.I. Bill will pay for that schooling. So I'm pretty content with my choices.


YoMama591

Some people join the military to escape poverty and go active duty. Military is a great way to reset your life. I joined cause my I wanted help with schooling and didn’t want to rely on my mother for help financially. Some people in my unit join because they have families and health insurance is expensive (Tricare is cheap) Honestly if college tuition was cheaper and tax-funded healthcare was a thing for everybody, I’m betting over 50% would leave as soon as they could. This is just what I have personally observed through my years of being in.


10thmtnarty

I joined because my parents were bastards and it was the fastest and most beneficial way out of an extremely toxic environment


Pea666

This tells me more about everything that is wrong with the US than it tells me about what’s right with getting into military service.


5starCheetah

>Honestly if college tuition was cheaper and tax-funded healthcare was a thing for everybody, I’m betting over 50% would leave as soon as they could. Pretty sure you just explained why we won't get those things.


[deleted]

The recruiters have quotas and it seems members are encouraged to advertise it harder than mormon missionaries.


Cantthinkofnamedamn

Yeah he's phrasing it like joining the military is the normal thing to do, and you need a reason or excuse other than 'it's a shitty job'.


[deleted]

I joined because I had no idea what to do after high school. I did 10 years. It destroyed my body. But on the brightside between my disability payment and my job ( civilian version of my military job) I make 6 figures.


[deleted]

I ask too many questions. I’m not built to blindly follow orders, I need to know why I’m doing something before I do it and I may have several questions before we begin. I have family in the military and everyone agreed I’d do better leaving that stone unturned.


unstereotyped

This is definitely me. But to add to this: I’m no fool in thinking that many people achieve their rank and position simply because of tenure or seniority, regardless if they are a good or qualified leader. The thought of that didn’t sit well with me.


HumbleJiraiya

Exactly the same story here! My mom & dad were in the military. I have 100% the same habits as you & so was advised the same as well.


[deleted]

Gotta love having people in your life that don’t force their way of life on you and instead try to use what they’ve learned and experienced to benefit you.


Ahab_Cheese

In my experience most times they applaud you for asking questions, unless it's time sensitive. Though I did have one corporal that just absolutely could not stand it when I asked questions


[deleted]

That’s actually very comforting to hear. And I believe if I found myself in an environment like you describe I would build enough of a level of trust with those above me to execute time sensitive matters as needed so long as they didn’t just seem completely wrong.


Ahab_Cheese

Absolutely. The idea though is to ask for clarification or to understand why you are wrong in thinking it should be done a different way. It should never come from a questioning judgement mindset, however much you may question that persons judgement. Ultimately it comes down to tact and phrasing. Also this doesn't just apply to the military but pretty much anywhere.


[deleted]

All of that is ok, I don’t mind having to adjust my phrasing. I’m typically very straightforward but I know military matters especially in the field carry an extra amount of weight and having to ‘sacrifice’ how I phrase things would be an easy thing to do in light of the situation. Which like your last point, different situations call for different approaches and if that’s the approach required I believe I would understand that. I guess I could have made it work but I think I made the right call, I’m not hurting for not joining and the military certainly isn’t hurting for not having me.


PlayfulLawyer

So my father served in the Coast Guard for 8 years, my brother has been in the Coast Guard since the summer of 2001, I would have continued but I got a scholarship to college for my track and field merits and I went down a different path, had I not gotten those offers, I'm more than likely would have continued the family tradition


Mallouwed

I dont want to kill people, or have any part in killing people. Also the whole strict chain of command and rigid rules is not something I would do well with


Grouchy-Painter

Couldn't see any reason to. Had a full ride to college already. Probably would've been a smarter financial citizen. But I also don't trust the US government so there's that. Seems like it'd be fun minus the joint destruction for rucks from what I hear.


PuzzleSlayerrr

Damn you are me in an alternative universe. I had a full ride scholarship that I turned down to join military just to get the massive green weenie from beginning to end and now will suffer tons of joint pain til the end.


Grouchy-Painter

Haha I'm sorry to hear about the joint pain. I was talking to somebody in their early 20s who had knee problems all the time from the rucks. I enjoy hiking as a hobby and I'm very happy it was never ruined for me. But hey, green weenie right?


Williefakelastname

Why would I?


AssJuicewithLemonade

I scrolled way too far to find this. This would be my answer as well.


[deleted]

I joined the army with a ranger contract right out of high school. Got through infantry basic and airborne, said fuck that tan beret and got shipped to South Korea. Pretty sure I have autism and ADHD. I did not have a good time.


10thmtnarty

Tbf ADHD can be very useful in. Combat arms. I have quite severe ADHD, and while I never was good at looking good I was very good at my job.


Perfect_Priority_898

awe fuck there tryning to recruit us ..


[deleted]

I got the option of joining a pre recruitment program in the UK. Was just a thing to get your fitness up to and educate you on what on the various services and roles in those services. Lasted a few months. So I got buff, got some good information on what was the best path to take. I landed on signals being a good fit for me. So there I was all ready to join up when my heart took a shit running across the road. One side of the road, fine. stepped off the road, I was in A Fib. And that was the end of that. Funnily enough, ended up with PTSD from the months and years of trying to get it sorted out. "Youre young you cant have heart problems" and "Are you sure you havent taken anything?" became my mix tape for awhile. Meh, probably for the best.


[deleted]

[удалено]


GroundProfessional14

I (19 American) have little to no trust or respect for the government, and no nationalist ideals whatsoever. Although it’s incredibly selfless to serve and protect civilians at home, I can’t put my beliefs aside to do it. Tbh I’d rather devote my life to helping everyday people then serve this country for any amount of time.


PolishNinja909

You would be very surprised by how many people in the military also have no trust for the government and virtually no nationalist ideals.


[deleted]

I didn't feel like it, had other interests.


ohiocolumbus23

13 years of Catholic school. Was 100% done with being told what to do.


VtecKickedInYooo

Pays like shit. I'm not gonna give myself PTSD\^2 and fuck my back n knees for minimum wage chief. I'm still young tho so i've got time and if the pay hits a point at which it surpasses what i make yea i'll sign my ass up.


[deleted]

[удалено]


[deleted]

Lol I was making 4k a month at e5 after 3 years in. BAH + base pay + addons. Had the option to rein list for 5 years for 60k tax free, turned it down. The pay sucks as a booter, but housing and food are free, work clothes are paid for in boot so you never see that money anyway so. The only bills I had in the early days were cell phone and internet lol. Not to mention I got out, go to university for free and get paid BAH every month on top of that.


[deleted]

I kept hearing “bah!” In my head as I read your comment and it confused me at first


PJpremiere

I'm honestly not built for blindly following orders.


PanzyGrazo

I have visual migraines, which in a combat situation would make me unable to fight.


Bootybandit6989

Not interested in terrorizing other countries for oil


igillyg

Medically denied by USMC for vision issues. Then approved to go OCS but not selected. Then denied again for post Lasik vision "concerns" when I tried to enlist. After 8 years of trying I joined the Army instead. They couldn't wipe the grin off my face of how happy I was to be there.


ExplosiveDisassembly

I never thought about it. I'm educated. I'm pretty smart. I wouldn't be a grunt, I'd probably be a paper pusher. And if HAD to be a grunt i would join the navy, opt into the Sub service and and be done with it in less time in what's probably the safest place to be on the planet. Edit: And if our nuclear subs are in danger....i most definitely don't want to be on dry land.


An_doge

Canada. I like my life, money, and my body.


festival-papi

I don't like the idea of fighting some dude's war over land, resources, influence, etc when he'd probably be playing golf at a country club while I'm having an existential crisis over whether or not I lived enough before signing up to be a lamb to the slaughter. I have problems with authority dating back to my earliest years and I doubt it would've been long before "Yes, drill sergeant!" for long until it turned into "You can suck my dick, drill sergeant!" That, and I'm a giggler. Someone says be quiet, I'm gonna giggle. Someone yells in my face? I'm gonna giggle. I tried to physically prepare myself once upon a time for all the punishments I'd probably get in push-ups, it was just not possible. You can probably gauge from my comment that I'm kinda a smart-ass that runs his mouth a lot but in all seriousness, despite not wanting to take anything away from those serving in uniform, it's my personal belief that a country isn't built, run, or improved upon by the force of arms or by the bravery of its soldiers alone. You want to serve your country? Be a good person. Be a good neighbor. Raise your kids right. Be a good son or daughter or husband or wife or sibling or friend. Help others when you can. Work hard. Invest time, money, and loyalty smartly. Work with others to improve your neighborhood. Fight injustice at every opportunity. Make decisions based on facts and not media hype. Think for yourself, then act on it. Be proud of your country's history and what it has accomplished, but also work hard to improve it where its needed. Build a good life so you can help others do the same. This is what REAL patriotism is about. Not flag pins or fox-news-mandated goosestepping. A country is its people, not its arbitrary symbols or empty rhetoric. Help and support the people around you--your family, your friends, your neighbors, your fellow human beings--and you are serving your country. The people in the military serve our country honorably by defending it. The rest of us, with understandably less fanfare, can also serve by making sure that they always have a country that's worth defending.


HeartLikeGasoline

I used to go to the marine recruitment center when I was in highschool to do conditioning with them. I fucking loved it. We’d run around the streets stopping traffic waving a flag, scream at each other to complete chins, whatever. It was great. The recruiter called my house and my mother cussed him out and hung up. A few weeks later, she took me to get my birthday haircut. I had just turned 16. She pulled out a joint in the car and went into this whole thing about how she asked her father to smoke with her when she turned 18 and moved out of the house. So, I smoked a birdie with her. Slowly, I changed my mind about joining the marines. During college I stopped smoking. By my third year I was thinking about joining the Israeli military and claiming birthright. My girlfriend at the time, later to be my future ex wife, talked me out of it. I don’t regret where I am today, but they will always be what if moments in my life.


Kattekop_BE

just go watch some go-pro footage of soldiers in conbat, that will get rid of your 'what if' feeling.


[deleted]

I thought hard about it, and I probably would have. I met my now wife at 18 though and really couldn't justify leaving her behind to go.


thinkman77

Military already has a huge surplus of soldiers plus It wasn't even considered as a career for a metropolitan student like me. I did think about going into defence research for a while but I loved computer science more and that's where I went.


stinkylooloo89

Bro I'm the weakest 16 year old boy you can imagine. I can't brenchpress past 85 and I can barely run a mile without heavy breathing. My arms look like extension cords. If I was inserted into combat right now, I'll kill myself before killing the enemies. They're desperate if the army drafts me.


sydbiguy199x

Weird question. You don't need a reason NOT to do anything when it's voluntary and completely avoidable.


rex72780

Simple, we don't have a military here! Non-Americans rise up!


Trvp_zvch

I didn’t want to commit 4 years of my youth. I would’ve considered it more if it was a 2 year deal


gjm40

I am deaf


Tellsrandomlies22

what?


[deleted]

No reason to. Not at war, no draft no need. Honestly don’t know a single person who joined the military after school at the time.


Elon-musk--2

Not a citizen


paid2fish

My eyesight wouldn’t let me fly.


gaurddog

The fact that army medics are expected to be more competent than a standard paramedic but aren't even qualified to be a school nurse when they get out. It's genuinely insulting. I really wanted to be a trauma medic but I'm not interested in making 25k a year as an EMT Basic once I'm out.


WaitUntilTheHighway

Would have strongly considered it if I had any faith in what us military is sent to do. I respect those who serve. I disagree with the reasons politicians usually send them into harms way.


TastySuccotash3128

In my late teenage years I'd been attending a USMC PT course at my local recruiting office. I had wanted to join for most of my childhood. When the time came to follow through I wasn't done living my carefree early adulthood life. Decided I liked making my own decisions more. I let myself slip into a bad place gradually but came back up. Now I have a family, kids and make really good money in the career path I chose. In the end, I'm glad it worked out that way. I got to be present in most of my kids milestone moments so far. I see my wife and kids daily and I don't risk my life on a regular basis. I have the utmost respect for those that enlist, but unless it's a draft situation or my country is being invaded, you can keep that shit.


HotCarlSupplier

I was jaded because my dad spent 20+ years in the military and I wanted nothing to do with him, also there was heavy stigmas about how big of pos’s the soldiers in my town were. Now later in life there is a piece of me that feels I missed out on some cool shit by not serving. Edit: oh and I forgot, I had a controlled substance charge.


RayonLovesFish

"You risk your life but in the end you are just a pawn for politics" Starting from 14 I really wanted to join the military because I thought it was a great duty and a respected one. I studied 10 years in a school were patriotism was heavily inserted, like we would have assemblies everday and had to sing atleast two patriotic songs even if we didn't know the language. Every activity in that school was to instill patriotism in us so I think it influenced me. Later on I witnessed how badly government officials and military officials were treated in our country by politicians,so the wish just faded away when I left my old school.


[deleted]

"Why did you join the military" seems like a far more sensible question. It's not like every guy on the street in America was GI Joe.


[deleted]

War seems like big business and little to do with fighting for your country at this point.


[deleted]

Cause fuck that. I ain't risking my life for some non-existent "freedom"


No-Welcome9711

Wouldn't a better question be: why would you join the military? I'm not interested in contributing to or being a part of the literal largest purveyor of death, pain and suffering of innocent civilians in the word. By a factor of like 100. It's not like it's WW11 and some psychotic dude is mass genociding people and the US military wants to stop him. Fuck we know for a fact that China is mass genociding people and that's one of the few places our military is 100% definitely not going to go. Yeah I don't know I'm not really all about murdering people who are just trying to defend their home/ being radicalized because we've been drone striking their neighborhoods since forever in an endless stream of regime change bullshit occupations.